ACADEMIA’S ROLE TO DRIVE CHANGE IN THE ORTHOTICS AND PROSTHETICS PROFESSION

This position paper outlines the important role of academia in shaping orthotics and prosthetics (O&P) profession preparing for its future. In United States, most healthcare professions including O&P are under intense pressure to provide cost effective treatments quantifiable health outcomes. Pivotal changes needed way services provided remain competitive. will require integration new technologies data driven processes that have potential streamline workflows, reduce errors inform methods clinical care device manufacturing. Academia can lead this change, starting with a restructuring academic program curricula enable next generation professionals cope multiple demands such as provision an increasing number patients by relatively small workforce certified practitioners delivering these at reduced cost, expectation significant, meaningful, measurable value. Key curricular replacing traditional labor-intensive inefficient fabrication newer (i.e., digital shape capture, modeling/rectification additive manufacturing). Improving manufacturing efficiencies allow greater emphasis on training education – area has traditionally been underemphasized. Providing more holistic patient approaches utilize systematic evidence-based assessment, treatment planning, dosage technology use, measurement outcomes is imminent. Strengthening professionals’ decision-making skills decreasing technical aspects curriculum be critical moving toward technology-centric practice model future adapt survive.
 Article PDF Link: https://jps.library.utoronto.ca/index.php/cpoj/article/view/36673/28349
 How To Cite: Kogler GF, Hovorka CF. Academia’s drive change profession. Canadian Prosthetics & Orthotics Journal. 2021; Volume 4, Issue 2, No.21. https://doi.org/10.33137/cpoj.v4i2.36673
 Corresponding Author: Géza F. KoglerOrthotics Unit, Kennesaw State University.E-Mail: [email protected] ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0212-5520